With every passing year, a lot of us wish to stay put in the homes we love, full of memories and familiar comforts. And what if it is not enough for our homes to just stay the same with the passage of time? What if our interiors, our rooms, our living spaces, could change in sufficient ways to add, really add, to our quality of life? That is “The Nature of Home” in a whole new light.
Welcoming Nature into Our Living Spaces
My grandmother chose not just to live in her house but to live with it. Her house, she said, would grow old with her. She would “not get evicted from it by my children or a nursing home that wanted to plump up its profits using my private-pay health insurance.” And because her house was going to grow old with her, she started refurbishing it a few years ago to serve her current and future needs. She joked, but again, beneath the humor, there was an idea that she seemingly wanted us to remember.
The biophilic design creates a link between indoor areas and nature. It’s more than a style; it taps into the human need and love of nature, which goes back a long way. We historically have always sought connections with nature, and evolutionary scientists say this is part of our brain chemistry. The link between indoor spaces and nature makes us feel good, and science points to our need for nature as a necessary part of our well-being. This is a key reason why biophilic design is much more than just the next trend.
For example, consider my neighbor who remodeled his house once he stopped working. In his living room, he installed a “green wall” full of plants that grow without soil. He put in huge windows that look out on a yard kept up as if he were aiming to impress a TV horticulture host. When we chat, he tells me these changes have altered his experience with the space. Because of the renovations, and the daily tending of his inside garden and plants in the yard, he tells me, “I feel really good here.”
Views and Natural Light
A basic tenet of biophilic design is to let in as much natural light as possible. Natural light has been shown in many scientific studies to increase bad moods, help people sleep better naturally, and augment the sense of overall well being and health that people feel, especially if you also design windows so that the occupants can see and connect to green landscapes and vegetation. In my own work, I have found that the living conditions of the room or house have a huge impact on how people function within the structure. When you light a structure well, the people who live there will be in a much better mental place than if they were dwelling in a terrible fluorescent light.
In the renovation project with the family friend, the team and I put the sun first. In every room undergoing work, we replaced the heavy old drapes with light, sheer curtains that maintained privacy while allowing the right amount of sunlight to come through and do its job. And because the bedroom is one of the most important rooms for our friend (She loves to read while relaxing, and she’s the type of person to work out the events of the day by turning them over in her mind before she goes to sleep.), we installed an up-to-code egress window and filled the bottom portion with a “serious couch.” She got a joke out of that, as everyone knew that she wasn’t the least bit handy.
Houseplants and Urban Jungles
Biophilic design also means embracing indoor flora. Not only do plants freshen the air by acting as natural air filters, reducing carbon dioxide and boosting oxygen, but they also seem to impart a kind of serenity that is good for mental health. In the homo urbanicus space, we took care to introduce a variety of green, leafy plants that ranged from the kind of tiny accent that a few succulents by a window could provide, to the aesthetic embrace of a large, old (indoor-tolerant) tree. We used plants artfully, too, placing them in situations where their natural forms and colors made them a key part of the overall ambiance.
A project that stands out in my memory is when a client wanted to repurpose their neglected basement into a bright, lively indoor garden. The client now has a garden that flourishes year-round, where she grows everything from basil to tomatoes. What was once a dull and forgotten subterranean space is now a sanctuary, a refuge. The client hardly ever leaves it. Indeed, the basement garden has even become something of a neighborhood legend. Why? Because it’s just that cool.
Creating with Easiness and Safekeeping in Mind
Ensuring that a home is safe for aging in place is extremely important, but my team and I do not believe this means sacrificing either good design or comfort. The client we worked with in this instance was passionate about gardening. She wanted to be able to enjoy her outdoor space in a way that was safe and efficient for her to maintain. In order to achieve these goals for her, we had to really think about accessibility and also the spaces that she loved and was going to be using the most. We raised her garden beds in order to avoid bending because non-bending was not going to be good for her in the future. Then we kept her pathways at a much more open and level space than they had previously been, and also made them a little bit wider.
Another crucial area is lighting. Bad lighting can cause accidents, especially for older people. My own house is a case in point. We have put in motion-sensor lights to be sure to light up the probably spaces. Those lights serve a few purposes. First and foremost, they light up for my parents and anyone who comes over when they sense any motion. That makes it so people won’t trip or bump into something night. Second, they sort of light our way to show us the “yes, you’re going the right way” path. They’re not just in the hallways and staircases, either; they’re also in a few rooms, like my parents’ rooms and the bathroom for sure.
Furniture and fixtures are also important. My uncle’s place, for example, has furniture you couldn’t bump into hard enough to hurt yourself. All edges and corners are rounded. This sort of thing is not only “older people–friendly,” but it is also “everybody–friendly.” My favorite nook is the one right by the window where he sits in a comfy chair and reads. And when I say “he reads,” what I mean is “he sometimes places books on a small table and pretend-reads while drinking some presumably good tea from a presumably ornate pot.
The Convenience and Simplicity of Utilization
My friend’s mother had made the choice to come live with her. This presented us with a problem. We had to figure out a way to make the living arrangement look and feel ‘residential’ like a real home and not like the inside of an assistive-living facility. First, we widened interior doorways so a wheelchair would fit through. We also installed helper bars in the bathroom for the same reason. Then, we put in place some ramps instead of steps.
For another job, we put in a stairlift for an old couple. They adored their two-story house but just couldn’t handle the stairs anymore. And leaving? Well, it was almost as if they were climbing Mount Everest or, at the very least, attempting a dangerous feat. They sincerely were not leaving their beloved home… and, really, why should they? A castle climber could do 80% of what they did. So we gave them a movable throne and the ability, still, to declare a 1-2-3 or even 4-5-6 entrance.
Furniture That’s Both Comfortable and Supportive
Aging in place requires easy-to-use seats. When I visited my cousin’s last house, we picked chairs and couches that had what amounted to stiff pillows and high backs, furniture that was much easier to get in and out of than the soft, low things you might pile into if you were making a “pillow fort.” We also found a dining table and chairs with thick, wooden armrests, the kind of table where a few friends might while away the weekend over a hand or two of poker.
A cozy corner was arranged in the parlor with a lounge chair and a side table for refreshments. This is now the Grandmother’s preferred location for not only watching the best parts of the news cable and TV shows but also for reading her favorite authors. The cable knits and the soft lounge chair made a perfect place for her to enjoy the company of my voice and to assist her in sometimes hitting the awfully small buttons that seemed to be a design imperative for all electronic gizmo makers.
Intelligent Domestic Technology
Integrating smart home technology in my uncle’s house significantly increased convenience and safety. We installed a device in his thermostat that now allows him to control the temperature of his house simply by talking to it. The same goes for the lighting in his house. We put in some smart light bulbs, and now if my uncle wants to turn a light on or off, he just tells the light to do so. You might think this sounds trivial, but let me assure you, it helps a lot. My uncle isn’t the only person among us who doesn’t like having to get up and walk across a room just to hit a light switch.
The video doorbell is another practical tool. It allows Papa to see who is at the door without getting up and also adds another dimension of security. Because of the video doorbell, Papa does not have to wonder about who is at the door, and I do not have to worry about him getting up to see. Above all, I feel that this device offers him peace of mind. It, along with the smart speaker, enables him to use the internet in a more secure way.
Boosting well-being by means of design
The biophilic design has a supremely good effect on mental health. As everything shut down for the pandemic, I found myself working with a couple who were just completely beside themselves with isolation and stress. We instituted biophilic design—their living room, of all places. You would not believe the difference (unless, of course, you are familiar with the extensive benefits this this sort of design provides). The first and most notable thing was just how connected to the “outside world” the redesign made the couple feel. And the living room, of all places, felt like just the right sort of place to start.
Physical health, too, can be enhanced through biophilic design. A friend reconstructed her kitchen and incorporated a small indoor garden. She now grows several of her meal ingredients. This has given her not only an excuse to get her hands in the dirt (always a good thing, as far as I’m concerned) but also a reason to use the fresh produce she cultivates. In our circle, we have a name for this now, calling it “Farm Kitch.” Yet it’s just another of the simple-yet-transformative ideas that can help take a space from being “just a place to live” to a place where living is a joy.
Using natural elements such as wood, stone, and natural fiber helps establish a peaceful yet robust environment. When my close relative made the decision to reclaim wood from old barns to use for his home’s floor, it created an entirely different aura in the space and a magnificent base for much of the cabin’s design. It also refurbished the indoor air with the scent of times long past.
When we think about growing old in our homes, it is vital that we create spaces that are not just usable but also personally enriching. This is a part of the new conversation about “wellness,” which I much prefer to the term “aging in place.” Biophilic design and the wellness movement both concern much more, ensure the creation of domestic environments that sometimes actually imitate nature in many respects.
Community and Social Interaction
Another vital part of biophilic design is creating social spaces. We tried to do this in my parents’ house. We built a very comfortable patio out back, with plenty of good seating around a nice, warm fire pit. And it just attracted people like a magnet. Every time we would go there with friends or family, they would say, “Let’s go sit out on that patio.” You’re in the presence of a lot of other people—a very social thing.
Our team had the pleasure of working with a wonderful client who was interested in bringing a community garden to her neighborhood. The residents now have a garden where they can claim a portion and grow whatever they want, be it something to put on a dinner table that is free of preservatives or just something nice to look at, and this blossoming space has already become a beloved part of the identity of the neighborhood. It’s a lot more than just a few plants. You can tell that by how many of the garden’s participants are now hanging out there in the mornings, by the softening of the space that has occurred, and most of all, by the health and wellness paybacks that seem to correspond with those.
Making Spaces Personal
Making a space one’s own can do wonders for the sense of snugness and satisfaction that comes from feeling truly at home. One client with a passion for the beach was a particular delight to work with because we had the opportunity to create a retreat… just for her! A beautiful, tall, and quirky vintage-style faux birdcage is the nightstand on one side of the bed. With a color scheme that holds fast to the spectrum of sea-and-sand, the lighthearted tropics come to the Tri-State area in the wintertime.
For another client, who is an artist, we designed a home studio. This space is filled with natural light and has plenty of storage for her many supplies. The artist told us that being able to continue her passion for painting in the studio we designed for her gives her an amazing sense of not just accomplishment, but peace.
Installing water features on your property can be a wonderful way to not only increase its value but also express your unique vision. If a water feature is indeed what you have in mind for the next big step in beautifying your home, inside or out, then there’s just one question you need to answer: Why? And the best time to ask “why” is right now, before you plunk down the first thin dime on any part of that water feature vision you have.
A sense of tranquility and calm can be brought into a home with the addition of water features. When I was a kid, my grandma had a garden, and we put in a pond there that had a little fountain in it. Some people might think it’s cheesy when I say this, but it gives me a really warm, cozy and peaceful feeling to have one installed in a house or any place I’m at. It makes being there feel much better; it’s amazing what the sound of running water can do for your peace of mind.
Inside, we installed a small water fountain in her living room. The soft, musical lilt of the water had an instant humanizing effect on the house, making it feel lived in and cozy. Water indoors is always a bold statement. Hydrologically speaking, things are just not supposed to work that way. But for underscoring just how cool (or warm) a space is. We Broken Characters are passionately into it.
What is to Come in Biophilic Design for Aging in Place
The future of aging in place is an exciting prospect, especially as biophilic design evolves. A “love of what is alive” is the most common translation of “biophilia.” But truly, it means so much more. With new studies bringing increasing awareness to the powers of natural elements, our residential spaces can become so much more than “safe” and “functional”, they can also be delightful to our senses, good for our physical, mental, and emotional health, and simply put, places we want to live.
An ingenious concept is the application of outdoor virtual reality experiences to the indoors. Picture this: you’re in your living room, but you’re also walking (virtually) in a lush forest, tromping along a beach, or exploring another region that’s chock full of virtual goodness. But you never even have to leave your living room. Feasible? Yes — and it’s a worthwhile experience, especially for people who can’t go on virtual vacations.
In urban planning, one thrilling development is that principles of biophilic design are being applied. Cities are paying ever-increasing attention to green spaces, rooftop gardens, and natural elements incorporated into design. A compelling reason for this shift towards biophilic design in urban spaces is that it fosters an environment for groups of people to experience universal well-being. Vulnerable populations such as the elderly are particularly at-risk of poor health outcomes, and biophilic design allows them something natural to connect with.
What Communities and Support Can Do
Even though biophilic design can notably improve the experience of aging in place, it is key to not forget the importance of community and the assistance it offers. Once, in the neighborhood where my grandmother lived, a group of local individuals formed the nucleus of what one might call a small community watch. Their network centered around their “inside woman,” my grandmother (who was really not a graying secret agent of any sort), the group’s natural companion—someone who was chosen as much for her amicability as for her trustworthiness.
If you plan to age in place without moving, it’s sensible to assemble a group of advisors. These folks might be eager volunteers from your church or synagogue, a career coach using Skype, your very own bereaved Aunt Minnie, or agile Mrs. Mortimer from Down the Street. Among these faithful friends, you’ll need someone in their 30s to 50s to act as your power of attorney. None of this is free, but in some cases (most notably with Mrs. Mortimer) you can trade your established householding arts for assistance. And you’d do well to enlist the aid of the staff at a local senior center, members of AARP, or friends (first-hand or online) who are already under this kind of siege.
Individual Meditations and Final Thoughts
Looking back on my path with biophilic design makes me realize the deep influence that our immediate surrounds have on us. I think of my grandmother’s living room, which was always bathed in light, and seemed so serene to me. I think of the indoor garden that one of my friends keeps, and how even in the middle of a northern city’s winter, it makes the apartment feel lush and full. Both are such salient examples to me of how good design, design steeped in a love for and connection to the natural world can create a space that helps the awesome seep in.
Growing old doesn’t have to mean allocating comfort, safety, or attractiveness. By adopting some simple principles, we can ensure that our homes support us in the most critical of times. In my design practice, I have found these principles to be quite straightforward. Adding a few more houseplants, using natural materials instead of synthetic ones, making generous amounts of daylight more accessible throughout a home, and even devising spaces that are convivial instead of isolating can go a long way toward ensuring that a home is a suitable place to age.
Endless possibilities exist for biophilic design in the future. We can pierce through the smoky haze of the present toward a future of biophilic homes if we continue to cultivate a contact with nature. Biophilic design is what the new millennial age will be about, and this new age is also about aging. So, any future development must ensure that all can thrive within their homes at any given stage of life. We must make certain as we move forward that we “embrace the power of biophilic design at home.”
